"You got to remember, stay far away from those rock piers," said Peter Davis with the Galveston Island Beach Patrol. "More than 100 feet away, there won't have a sign necessary or a life guard for awhile to get out there and tell you."

Davis says the city could open beaches to swimmers as soon as Friday. That doesn't go for the West End. He says no one should even think about swimming there.

"It's really not a good idea to do that because you don't know what's under the water out there," Davis said.

Debris or trash removal on land resumed as garbage trucks made regularly scheduled pickups for the first time since the hurricane. Also back now is the mail service.

Carrier Shad Taylor was surprised to find folks so happy to see him.

"Because we're out, they know it will get somewhat better," he said. "That's what I've been hearing most of the morning."

More beds have been set up now at the Red Cross Shelter at the Old Alamo Elementary School. They now can hold 700. Some say they can't use it because they lost their cars in the storm.

"We have no way of getting anywhere," said Galveston resident Twoonia Sykes.

A city spokesperson says those without transportation can get to that shelter using public transportation. For now city busses are free.